Sometimes amusing modelwork and primitive stop-motion effects highlight this older than dirt short-film, about three people who stumble into an old house during a rainstorm. Once inside, their bags crawl out the door of their own free will, the three cower under the furniture as a clawed demon appears at the window, clothing gets up and walks out the door, and a huge white ghost appears and dances in the middle of the room. Or, maybe it was just a sheet caught in updraughts.
The trio has worked up an appetite by then, and decide on having dinner in the room, where the table sets itself and meat and bread both slice themselves.
Film gets surprising and most amusing in the final 60 seconds, when the room starts tilting from one side to the other, a feat which was doubtlessly achieved by tilting the camera at 45 degree angles while furniture is pulled from one side of the room to the other, before tiny little fireballs appear-- only to disappear before the clawed demon creature returns to scoop up the trio, and the final two seconds shot which is too bizarre to even describe. Was there additional footage explaining the final shot, which is now lost for all ages?
I'm not certain if this was meant to scare the viewer, to make them laugh, to be a fantastical story, or just an excuse to use trick photography. Either way, it's amusing for fans of early cinema and since it is available on youtube, it's now easy to find and have a laugh with.
The film's entire cast and majority of the crew remain unknown; the only technical credits are: La maison morcelée (1908) Produccio: Pathe (1.996) Direccio, argument, foto i trucatges: SEGUNDO DE CHOMON. Procendeccia de la copia: NEDERLANDS FILMMUSEUM, Amsterdam.
The trio has worked up an appetite by then, and decide on having dinner in the room, where the table sets itself and meat and bread both slice themselves.
Film gets surprising and most amusing in the final 60 seconds, when the room starts tilting from one side to the other, a feat which was doubtlessly achieved by tilting the camera at 45 degree angles while furniture is pulled from one side of the room to the other, before tiny little fireballs appear-- only to disappear before the clawed demon creature returns to scoop up the trio, and the final two seconds shot which is too bizarre to even describe. Was there additional footage explaining the final shot, which is now lost for all ages?
I'm not certain if this was meant to scare the viewer, to make them laugh, to be a fantastical story, or just an excuse to use trick photography. Either way, it's amusing for fans of early cinema and since it is available on youtube, it's now easy to find and have a laugh with.
The film's entire cast and majority of the crew remain unknown; the only technical credits are: La maison morcelée (1908) Produccio: Pathe (1.996) Direccio, argument, foto i trucatges: SEGUNDO DE CHOMON. Procendeccia de la copia: NEDERLANDS FILMMUSEUM, Amsterdam.